Basho''s Haiku - Selected Poems of Matsuo Basho

Bashō 's Haiku offers the most comprehensive translation yet of the poetry of Japanese writer Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694), who is credited with perfecting and popularizing the haiku form of poetry. One of the most widely read Japanese writers, both within his own country and worldwide, Bashō is especially beloved by those who appreciate nature and those who practice Zen Buddhism. Born into the samurai class, Bashō rejected that world after the death of his master and became a wandering poet and teacher. During his travels across Japan, he became a lay Zen monk and studied history and classical poetry. His poems contained a mystical quality and expressed universal themes through simple images from the natural world. David Landis Barnhill's brilliant book strives for literal translations of Bashō 's work, arranged chronologically in order to show Bashō 's development as a writer. Avoiding wordy and explanatory translations, Barnhill captures the brevity and vitality of the original Japanese, letting the images suggest the depth of meaning involved. Barnhill also presents an overview of haiku poetry and analyzes the significance of nature in this literary form, while suggesting the importance of Bashō to contemporary American literature and environmental thought.

About the author

Matsuo Basho lebte von 1644 bis 1694 als Zen-Mönch ein naturverbundenes Leben. Er zählt zu den sechs Weisen der Haiku-Dichtung und gilt längst als Klassiker der Weltliteratur.

Product details

• Authors: David L. Barnhill, Bash&, Matsuo Bash&333;, Matsuo Basho, Matsuo/ Barnhill Basho, Matsuo Bashô
• Assisted by: David Landis Barnhill (Translation), David Landis Barnhill (Translation)
• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 24.08.2004
• EAN: 9780791461662
• ISBN: 978-0-7914-6166-2
• No. of pages: 346
• Dimensions: 140 mm x 222 mm x 25 mm
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Other languages / Other literatures; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Other world religions